Subjects and Learning Goals
Kindergarten is a year of exploration! 5-6 year olds learn best through play and discovery…and that is just what we will do! Children will engage in Literacy, Mathematical, Science, and Technology activities that will allow them to build and practice skills necessary for older grades. Children also experience daily specials such as Spanish, Library, Music, Art, Physical Education, and Computers.
Along with these academic subjects, much of kindergarten is gaining and practicing Social Skills. Children learn these skills through direct instruction from teachers, as well as through naturally occurring experiences throughout the day. Below is a general overview of skills and content we will learn throughout the year.
Literacy Skills:
Active Listening, Read Alouds
Phonological Processing (Syllables, Rhyming, Alliteration, Segmenting, Blending, etc)
Letter Identification, Sounds, and Symbols
Identifying the beginning, ending and eventually middle sounds of spoken words
Handwriting
Sight Words (words we know at first sight: is, it, the, see,...)
Decoding Words
Phonics/Spelling
Guided/Leveled Reading
Describing Connections Between Text and Illustrations
Comprehension and Retelling of text
Writing in a Variety of Genres
Conventional use of Capitalization and Punctuation
Science Skills:
Frequent opportunities and materials to explore the natural world, ask questions, and engage curiosity
Using basic tools to gather data and extend the senses (tweezers, magnifying glass, scales, etc.)
Using Scientific Vocabulary
Making Observations and Predictions
Documenting and observing change over time
Engaging with experieniments
Units of Study:
Life Cycles (butterflies , pumpkins, frogs, seeds and plants)
Living vs. Non-Living Things
Animals, Habitats, needs for survival
Gardening and Composting
Weather
Mathematical Skills:
Number Sense
Counting by 1's, 5's, and 10's
Comparing Numbers
Identifying Numbers and Quantities
Recognizing Patterns and Geometric Shapes
Measurement and Classification
Data Collection
Early Addition and Subtraction Concepts
Working with Teen Numbers to gain Foundation for Place Value
Real Life Applications:
Calendars
Every Day Uses
Time
Social/Emotional Skills:
"Treat Others The Way You Want To Be Treated"
Conversational Skills
Taking and Waiting Turns
Cooperative Play and Interactions with Peers
Following Directions, Limits, and Expectations
Identifying the "size of a problem" and matching it with the correct reactions
Accepts Responsibility for Actions
Skills for Learning
Focusing, persistence, assertiveness
Empathy
Self-Regulation, Self Control
Emotion Management
Using Simple Strategies to Resolve Conflicts and Problems
Making and Maintaining Friendships
Tattling vs. Reporting
Executive Functioning
Kindergartners will spend all year learning and practicing skills to support executive functioning skills.
These are a set of mental skills that help you get things done. These skills are controlled by an area of the brain called the frontal lobe. Executive function helps you:
Manage time
Pay attention
Switch focus
Plan and organize
Remember details
Avoid saying or doing the wrong thing
Do things based on experiences
Executive function can be divided into two groups:
Organization: Gathering information and structuring it for evaluation
Regulation: Taking stock of your surroundings and changing behavior in response to it
Warning signs that a child may have difficulty with executive function skills include trouble with:
Starting activities or tasks
Planning projects
Estimating how much time a task will take to complete
Telling stories (verbally or in writing)
Memorizing, Remembering
Here is a blank sample of Sunderland Elementary School's Kindergarten Report Card.